Derick Rickman
Derick Rickman is a Captain of the Starfleet Marines Corps formerly known as MACO (Military Assault Command Operations) and second in command of the training facility known as 'the Barn' on New Earth Colony, Gaia. Background Born 12th July 2137, Derick the first born of identical twins on the Mars Colony, where the event of the day were human colony gangs that ruled the streets. In the early years, their father Thom, a miner in one of the harshest mines known to humankind, was scarce until the boys' mother died, when they were six. Having to take care of the boys full time, Thom often used a hard hand and it was not uncommon for the boys to miss school for days at a time. Every now and then, one or both might show up to school with bruises from 'falling'. Derick, the obvious dominant of the two, often looked after his brother Julian and took the brunt of the beatings. When Julian was left alone, for one reason or another, Thom often took advantage of Derick's absence. He could not believe he produced one son he was proud of and one that was a sissy. Derick tried not to be kept after school, but if he was, often made Jules wait for him until he was released. Life at home was not easy, but it prepared the twins to deal with the rough life when dealing with the streets. Often teased and pushed around in school for being 'geeky', Julian only had to explain a black eye to Derick and for a while, the picking on Jules would cease. Not many children wanted to go up against Derick, who seemed to have no mind to know when to stop fighting. Starting with their father, and growing with their schoolmates, Julian quickly looked upon Derick as his role model. Julian did not have the same physical strength or fighting sense as Derick, but made up for his lack of street smarts through tutoring Derick in arithmetic and science. Derick is very devoted to his brother. At age twelve, the boys were taken from their junior high equivalent school when, during a gym class, round burn marks were seen healed and half healed all over the back of Julian. Had the teacher not ordered a basket ball game of 'skins vs. shirts', the monthly abuse from Thom would have continued to go unnoticed. Both twins were assigned to a councilor and immediately yanked from their father and put into a foster home. Luckily, they were together and after a separation threat, Derick and Julian agreed to be on best behavior so they could remain together. For the next set of years, they remained low profile, waiting only for adulthood when they would be released out on their own. MACO At age 17, Derick enlisted and signed up with the MACOs. Derick's ultimate plan in joining the MACOs was to help Julian through school. Thom's 'life' never swayed Derick's belief that his brother was a genius. His first year in, he saved almost all his money to help foot the bill for Julian to go to Vulcan, where he had been accepted into the Vulcan Academy of Science. To help where Julian's scholarships didn't, Derick often sent money to his brother. When Julian graduated, Derick made sure his brother joined him on the planet. Relationships With the destruction of Earth, Derick was assigned to the SS Bonaventure after earning his Lance Corporal stripes. Often getting into fights, he was on the verge of being tossed out of the service by Major Hayes when then Lt. Tom Merrick pleaded the boy's case and kept him in the service. Tom took Derick under his wing, recognising the young man as a kindred spirit. Over the next few years, Tom would be Derick's mentor and Derick would be Tom's best friend. More often than not, Derick would cover for Tom when his drinking impeded his ability to do the job. Following Tom's fight with Major Hayes, Derick made the conscious decision to no longer enable Tom in his alcoholism. Supporting the now Captain through rehab, Derick ensured that Tom Merrick didn't end up like his father, keeping h im dry in early days of Tom's attempts to remain sober. Eventually, Derick would ecome Tom's right hand man when he took command of the Barn. In the years after, Derick would mentor other young Sharks, including Renee Richards. Derick and Renee would maintain a close but platonic friendship, often acting as each other's confidantes. Despite his relationship with Ren, elsewhere Derick was a success with women, with scores of conquests. However, he secretly bore an infactuation for Major Sloane McRae that would not be realised until he was a Gunnery Sargeant. Fratenisation rules between officer and non coms would keep their relationship a secret until the rule was abolished. Following this, their relationship continued for several years before differences in assignments and time apart caused both to go their separate ways Nevertheless, the parting was amicable and both remained friends. Personality Derick is the party-hard, work hard type; with a quick temper for defending things he feels need it. He grew up too soon, too fast on all the hard things in life and feels a strong sense of responsibility and brotherly love for Julian.He is fiercely loyal to his friends and hold trust above all else.